


I was told this is when I would start loving myself

by onceuponanotherassumption



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 3rd Year!Reader, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, IwaOi are her close friends, Reader-Insert, Romance, Sarcasm, She’s part of the volleyball team, Sick Character, Slight Drama, Subtle flirting, Vanilla, random scenarios, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2019-09-14 03:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16905210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onceuponanotherassumption/pseuds/onceuponanotherassumption
Summary: A collection of one-shots of Tsukishima with a girlfriend who goes to Aoba Jousai. One-shots aren’t in any chronological order but still related.





	1. Volleyball is just a club

**Author's Note:**

> For the past few years of writing fanfics and switching from platform to platform, I’ve never bothered to make an account on this website. But now, I feel like leaving a trace here while I’m still breathing so I hope this does me good. 
> 
> Not sure how long I’ll be able to keep this up, I tend to move onto a new story without finishing the current one. But who knows?
> 
> •title came from the song lyrics of “If I’m being honest” by dodie•

Tsukishima could feel the consecutive buzzing of his phone, he rummages it out of his pocket. The screen is lit with a text message that just arrived and upon seeing (y/n)’s name, he doesn’t waste time to read it. He was supposed to meet up with her at a nearby cafe an hour ago, and he would be there already if not for the freak duo of his team who begged him to tutor them for the upcoming exams. A sigh escapes his lips as he types a response. It was already 7pm, and no matter how colourful his personality was, he didn’t have the heart to keep his girlfriend waiting for him any longer.

“Business hours are over now, please come again tomorrow.” Strapping his bag to his shoulder, he quickly heads to the entrance of the convenience store they decided to stay in.

“Oi Tsukishima! Come back here!”

“Stingy jerk!”

“Tsukki!” A lilted voice catches the blonde’s attention, making him halt. “Are you meeting up with (y/n)-san?”

“Yamaguchi, you idiot-“

“Ohhh! So that’s why you wanna leave,” Hinata elbows Tsukishima playfully, a teasing look on his face. “Meeting up with your girlfriend at night? How scandalous of you~”

“Shut up, midget.”

“No need to be embarrassed~”

“If you utter one more word, then good luck finding another tutor.” He scoffs when Hinata pales, miming to zip his mouth shut. Tsukishima rolls his eyes and heads outside.

“Bye Tsukki!”

* * *

•••

Upon entering the cafe, it wasn’t much of a task for Tsukishima to find where (y/n) was seated as not many customers were around during that hour. (y/n) had a couple of books around the table, her chin resting on her palm as she continues to write something on her notes.

"Your guardians aren't here today?"

A noise of surprise comes from the back of her throat as (y/n) looks up from her notes to the blonde that was practically looming over her.

"Tooru and Hajime? They had to leave early for some extra practise," (y/n) takes a sip from her mug of tea, watching Tsukishima remove his bag and sit in the seat in front of her.

"That's surprising, seeing as they're always stuck with you 24/7." Tsukishima takes out his phone with an annoyed look on his face.

"Are you jealous?" A taunting smile paints her lips, overly amused at the little bits of reaction he was giving her.

"Tch..." Tsukishima grabs her mug of tea and takes a sip as well, instantly retracting his lips from the bland taste. “I told you to go home early yet you still insisted on waiting for me.”

“I wanted to see you.” She bluntly replies, a shade of red immediately dusts Tsukishima’s cheeks.

“Idiot, don’t just say that so casually.” He coughs, trying to calm down. "You mentioned extra practise? Don't you third years have upcoming exams in a few days?"

"That's why I'm studying," 

"And they aren't because...?" 

"Oh, don't worry about them. They wouldn't have gotten into Aoba Jousai if they were idiots." She continues to write on her notebook. "I'd be more worried about your friends. The freak duo."

"They aren't my friends-" 

"One strawberry shortcake for Tsukishima-san!" A waitress suddenly appears behind Tsukishima, startling him as a platter of dessert was set on the table. 

"Huh? I didn't order any-"

"Yes, thank you." (y/n) interrupts, a small smile on her face as she takes a fork and practically shoves it towards Tsukishima's direction.

"What?"

"It's my offering to you," (y/n) chuckles at the confusion displayed on his face. "For carrying me home the other day.” 

"Oh yeah? Then I deserve two, you were really heavy-" 

"You're heavy, I'm heavy, everyone's heavy. Now shut up and accept my kindness,"

Tsukishima’s gaze lingers at her for a moment, taking the fork from her hand and digging in, making sure to savour the taste. He could never get tired of the sweet delicacy. 

“Your team has a practise match with ours next week, right?” (y/n) purses her lips. “Can I come and watch?”

Tsukishima pauses from eating, as if in thought. A part of him didn’t want her to in case if they ever lose, but then again he didn’t see any harm in it. (y/n) held the sharp glance he was giving her but a thought crosses his mind.

“Wouldn’t you be going anyway? Since you’re their manager...” 

“Temporary manager, I’m not required to attend these events.”

“Hnn...”

“What?” She asked, a hand under her chin. “I’m not telepathic so you might as well use your words.” 

“Do whatever you want...” He mutters passively, scoffing in amusement at the sight of the smile growing on her lips.

* * *

•••

On the day of the practise match between Karasuno and Aoba Jousai, (y/n) had decided to come early to the gym instead of riding on the bus with the others. She opted to spend the extra time with Tsukishima and his team mates for a change.

“Want to practise your blocking? I can help you?”

“Isn’t your ankle still healing?” (y/n) could feel Tsukishima’s gaze on her left ankle. A total of two weeks had passed since the incident in her last volleyball match, she was forced to take a break until her injury fully healed. Which was why she was assigned to be the men’s volleyball team’s temporary manager for the time being.

“It’ll be fine, I won’t do a jump serve!” (y/n) reassures, picking a stray ball from the floor and heads to the other side of the court. “Since I’m handicapped, go easy on me.”

As she prepares to serve, Tsukishima takes his spot. His eyes immediately widen in alarm, seeing the sharp look on (y/n)’s face. He’d seen it before in one of her matches, when she scored a number of points with her deadly serve. He quickly ducked, barely missed getting face-planted. The ball ends up hitting an unsuspecting Tanaka in the face, who falls to the floor looking as if the life was just punched out of him. Tsukishima cringes at the sound, thinking how painful it would’ve been if he was at the receiving end of it. He was glad he dodged.

“Oi Ryuu! Get a hold of yourself!” Nishinoya shouts out, shaking the others’ body back and forth.

“Nishinoya...” Tanaka dramatically mutters, signalling the libero to come closer.

“What is it, Ryuu?!”

“It’s been a good run, I’m glad I died by a gorgeous girl’s serve...I’ll see you in heaven...”

“Ryuu? Ryuu?!”

“Oh dear, sorry about that Tanaka...” Tsukishima flinches in surprise, seeing (y/n) next to him. He glares at her.

“Handicapped my ass...”

“What? That wasn’t even at full power yet,” She defends. Tsukishima lifts a brow in interest at the number of frightened looks behind her.

“You’re going to rip my arms off with that serve of yours.”

“Isn’t that a good thing to look forward to?” Although (y/n) was smiling, it clearly didn’t reach her eyes. “Kei, do it seriously this time. It’s volleyball not dodgeball.”

“Pfft! Tsukishima got told off!” The person in question glares at Hinata to his left, who quickly side steps behind Kageyama.

“W-What? Wanna...f-fight?!” 

* * *

•••

After taking a short trip to the vending machine (y/n) heads back to the gym, she could already spot the group of guys in teal shirts heading there. Walking inside she immediately sees, what Tsukishima calls, her ‘guardians’.

“Will you stop glaring at Kageyama, you’re practically drilling holes in his head.” (y/n) walks up behind Oikawa and Iwaizumi, nonchalantly sipping from a can of soda.

“(y/n)-chan?! You didn’t tell us you were coming!”

“I did? I told Hajime this morning,”

“Oh. I forgot to tell him.” The latter shrugs, no ounce of regret in his tone.

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa dramatically turns to his friend with an accusing look on his face, before turning back to (y/n). “I bet you’re here for Megane-kun, you traitor!”

“Who else would I be here for?”

“Rude!”

“I’m kidding,” A small chuckle emits from her lips. “I may be your temporary manager but I’m expecting you guys to win even if it’s only a practise match. If you fail to do so, you’ll be punished.” (y/n) calmly smiles at the two, but anyone could tell the seriousness behind her words.

“Uwah, (y/n)-chan you demon! So scary!”

“Get off me, shittykawa!”

“Didn’t know you were such a slave-driver.” (y/n) almost drops her half-empty can of soda when Tsukishima appears behind her. She quickly recovers and faces him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Oh I already do.” (y/n) was about to retort back but Oikawa beats her to it, hastily moving in between her and Tsukishima.

“Megane-kun!”

“It’s Tsukishima-“

“How dare you keep our (y/n)-chan all for yourself!”

“Our?”

“Ignore him. Do your best, Kei.” Without missing a beat, (y/n) gently pushes Oikawa away and glances at Iwaizumi. He must’ve gotten the picture as he reels his childhood friend away. Protests can be heard.

“It’s just a practice match...” He says with disinterest.

“Like how volleyball is just a club? Yes, keep telling yourself that.” (y/n) couldn’t help but scoff at what he said. Slowly and carefully, she balances herself on the tips of her toes and pecks his cheek. “Good luck.”

The action was too fast for Tsukishima to comprehend what had just happened, he could feel the heat rush to his face and it wasn’t because of the hot temperature. It was just like (y/n) to catch him by surprise, no matter the place. He was about to tell her off but the latter was already on the other side of the court, surrounded by the Aoba Jousai team. How she got there in a few seconds astounds him. He hears Daichi calling for everyone, and he sighs. The match was about to start. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re looking for more reader inserts, come and swing by my tumblr. It’s where I’ll mostly be active.
> 
> Thanks for reading this stranger, and have a nice day!


	2. I feel like something bad is going to happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team finds out that Tsukishima has a girlfriend.

After making sure that he had everything with him, Tsukishima prepares to leave. He had already told Yamaguchi that he wouldn’t be going home with him and practically made him swore that he wouldn’t tell the others that he was meeting up with his girlfriend. The thought of being bombarded with question after question made him want to hide under a rock. It had just been a week when he had to swallow his pride and confess to (y/n) after months of pining for each other. He didn’t want anyone to know about them...yet. A ringing sound snapped him out of his thoughts, Tsukishima quickly realised who it was. After making sure that none of his team mates were of hearing distance, he answers the call.

“I’m here already.” (y/n) says, not wasting a second. Her voice was calm, no signs of impatience which was good on his part.

“You’re ten minutes early.” Tsukishima comments,

“No, you’re just ten minutes late.”

“I’m about to head there now, you can go ahead and order.”

“I’ll order you something as well.”

“You don’t have to-“

“Yes, yes, I’m hanging up. Take care!” A beeping tone fills his ears, indicating that the has ended. He sighs, exiting the gym. Just when he was about to step out, a voice catches his attention.

“Ah, Tsukishima! You’re leaving already?”

“Sugawara-san...” A few seconds pass as Tsukishima tries to come up with a response that will make the setter back off. “I need to run an errand.”

“That’s fine! Take care then!” With a pat on the back, Sugawara waves goodbye to him.

“Tsukishima’s been leaving early nowadays, I wonder what’s keeping him busy.” Sugawara nonchalantly wonders, not realising that his underclassmen were listening to him.

“Maybe he’s constipated.” Hinata pipes in, still busy picking up the stray volleyballs on the floor.

“Idiot, you’re the one who’s always constipated.” Kageyama mutters under his breath.

“Say what?!”

“I said you’re the one who’s constipated.”

“Pfft! Well your face says otherwise!”

“What did you say, dumbass?!”

“Oh dear, here we go again...” A long sigh escapes Sugawara as he zips his bag up, he didn’t have any energy in him left to scold his two teammates.

“What’s taking you guys so long!” A loud voice echoes through the gym as Tanaka comes in with Nishinoya trailing behind, who rushes to tackle Hinata to the ground.

“Ah, sorry!” Sugawara smiles apologetically. “These two still have a lot of energy to burn, apparently.”

“Where’s that bastard Tsukishima?”

“He already left awhile ago, said he had an errand to do.”

“That’s what he said the other day as well! I bet he’s hiding something from us!” A mischievous grin spreads on Tanaka’s lips at the thought of finding something to humiliate the blonde with.

“If he is, then we shouldn’t pry into it.”

“Eh, where’s the fun in that? How about we follow him tomorrow and see what he does?!”

“That’ll only make Tsukishima mad, Tanaka.” Sugawara sighs when it’s made apparent that the other wasn’t listening to him, and was instead focused on looking for a certain someone. And that certain someone jolted in surprise at the intruding arm around his shoulders.

“Yamaguchi! As your senior, you better tell us what Tsukishima’s hiding! You probably know something, right?”

“U-Uhm...no-“

“Spit it out!”

“But he’ll get mad at me if I tell you that he’s meeting up with his girl-“ Yamaguchi gasps, literally slapping his mouth shut when he realises that he just revealed his friend’s ‘secret’. Everyone stares at him with widened eyes, and Yamaguchi knew it was too late to take it back.

“Girlfriend?!”

A collective of shouts and screams is heard outside the gym. Daichi, who was waiting for them, looks up from his phone and pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance before walking back inside to see what hell the others were brewing up this time.

 

* * *

•••

At a modern-looking cafe, (y/n) and Tsukishima were sat at a table near the window. The girl had a teasing grin on her face directed at the blonde, who was glaring at her.

“For some who’s deemed cold-hearted, you sure have a cute sneeze.” (y/n) hands him a table napkin. Tsukishima immediately takes it from her, a scowl on his face.

“Shut it.”

“I wish I could’ve taken a video of it. It would’ve been great blackmail material.” With a fork in hand, (y/n) takes a bite of the half-eaten dessert in front of her. She observes Tsukishima for a moment, and a thought crosses her mind. “Did you catch a cold or something?”

“Who would catch a cold at this time of the year?”

“People with weak immune systems,”

“Witty.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Another chuckle escapes her. “Maybe someone’s talking about you.”

“Now that you mention it, I feel like something bad is going to happen...” He muttered softly, but (y/n) clearly picked up what he said and raised a brow at what he was insinuating. Tsukishima sighs, shaking his head.

“It’s probably nothing.”


	3. Can I call you by your first name?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a chapter on how Tsukishima and (y/n) met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back with a sorta long chapter? I just hope that I can keep this up. Any who, enjoy!

The first time Tsukishima sees her was during a practise match with Aoba Jousai. She walked into the gym behind the players with teal shirts, looking as if she was deep in thought. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes when he overhears his team mates, specifically Tanaka and Nishinoya, excitedly chatter at the prospect of meeting a beauty.

“That’s their manager huh, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi says, eyes directed at the girl in interest.

“I don’t really care.” And it was the truth. Sure she was pretty, but Tsukishima didn’t see the purpose of getting giddy over it. But a part of him couldn’t help but be interested about her. He watches her for a while. How her eyes scan their entire gym, how her lips move whenever she speaks, and how her eyes light up when she spots a certain someone. It was Kageyama. Somehow, it made his stomach churn.

“Ah, Tobio! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” The fact that (y/n) used his first name didn’t slip by the latter’s team mates, much less Tanaka and Nishinoya’s radar. “How have you been doing?”

“I’m fine (y/n)-san, I thought...you moved to Tokyo?”

“Already direct to the point, huh? And you used to be so cute...” Heat immediately rises to Kageyama’s face and (y/n) couldn’t help but chuckle at his reaction.

“S-Sorry, (y/n)-san,”

“It’s alright. I moved back here during my second year, those losers over there wanted me to attend the same school as them so here I am.”

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san?”

“I hear he’s still treating you coldly, Tooru I mean?” The look on Kageyama’s face made (y/n) sigh in irritation. “I’ll take that as a yes,”

“No, it’s not-“

“Tobio, don’t mind him. He’s really just...not good at facing what needs to be faced, but he means well. If he bothers you again, tell me.” A small smile is on her lips, eyes directed at a certain brunette on the other side of the gym.

“So you became their manager...”

“Oh...no, I’m actually just here to observe.”

“Observe?”

“Observe.” (y/n) reiterates with a smile on her face. “Their coach needed my opinion on each player, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten one of my talents right?”

It takes a moment but everything clicks in Kageyama’s head. Back then, (y/n) was known for her talents not only in volleyball but for gathering information as well. She could easily assess the strengths and weaknesses of a player, and strategise ways for them to become better. She no doubt had an eye for it.

“Kageyama...?” (y/n) raises a brow at the latter, who was standing still in the same spot seemingly zoning out.

“I remember!” He finally speaks up, embarrassed at himself for suddenly blanking out in the middle of a conversation. (y/n) could only chuckle at him.

“Anyways, do you have your phone with you?” Kageyama nods and rummages the device from his pocket. (y/n) takes it and inserts her own number before handing the phone back.

“Ah...”

“Just so that we could stay in contact, I’ll talk to you later then!” (y/n) heads back to where the rest of the Aoba Jousai team were, and Kageyama is left alone to stare at the screen of his phone.

“Oi! Kageyama! What was that?!” Tanaka comes up from behind him and practically catches him in a chokehold, nudging his head with his fist. “You never told us you knew a gorgeous girl like that! She even gave you her number!”

“And as your seniors, you need to introduce us to the pretty girl!” Nishinoya animatedly jumps up excitedly, still enamoured by (y/n).

“She was my senior back in Kitagawa Daiichi, captain of the girl’s volleyball team,” Kageyama explains, scratching the back of his head as he still couldn’t comprehend what happened moments ago. Tanaka and Nishinoya rejoice at the fact that their newfound crush was also into volleyball, and continue to mess with the setter to get all sorts of info on her.

* * *

•••

Tsukishima sighs in frustration, glaring at the vending machine in front of him. The practise match with Aoba Jousai just ended and he was craving for something sweet to drink, but he just had to forget his wallet. The walk back to the gym wasn’t that far away but the thought of going back and forth was tedious. He was so distracted by the mental debate going on his head that he didn’t notice someone else appear next to him.

“Here you go,”

Tsukishima looks at the girl in front of him, who was handing him a can of soda from the vending machine. It was the same girl that he had been creepily staring at for the duration of the match. Seconds pass with her arm still stretched towards him, her hand clutching the can. She presses her lips impatiently and opts to grab his hand to give the drink to him without a word. Facing the vending machine once more, she gets a drink of her own.

“I didn’t ask for you to get me one,” Were the words that Tsukishima manage to utter once the shock went away.

“You look like you really need it though,” It was subtle, but Tsukishima could tell that there was a hint of amusement in her tone. “Just think of it as a prize for winning the match.” And with that, (y/n) starts to walk away.

“Wait-“

“You don’t need to pay me back.”

“That’s not what...I don’t even know who you are.”

“(y/n). And as you probably already know, I’m with Seijoh’s team.” (y/n) opens the can of her favourite drink, taking a quick sip. “From what I’ve overheard, you’re name is Tsukki...?”

“Tsukishima Kei.” He immediately clarifies, not intending for his tone to be forward. A bubble of laughter escapes (y/n), making Tsukishima feel embarrassed.

“It’s nice to meet you then, Tsukishima Kei.” A genuine smile is painted on her lips, and she bids him goodbye. Tsukishima takes the time to observe the strange girl. She was tall, at least inches taller than Shimizu. But again, what he couldn’t deny was that she was no doubt beautiful. He looks at the can of soda she gave him, and he was left to ponder how she knew it was the flavour that he wanted.

* * *

•••

The next time that Tsukishima sees her is when Karasuno is invited by Aoba Jousai for another practise match. The first match ended and there was a 10 minute break before the next one started. He finds his way to where the vending machines were and sees a particular person that’s been on his mind lately.

“(y/n)-san...”

“Ah, Tsukishima. Sorry, I guess I’m in the way.” (y/n) moves away from the vending machine, and takes a seat on a nearby bench instead. It looked as if something was on her mind just like the first time he saw her.

“On my way here I saw your team filling up their own water bottles, shouldn’t that be your responsibility?”

“You really don’t know how to be subtle, do you?” An apology is about to be said by him but (y/n) raises a hand to stop him. “I’m not exactly their manager. I’m just here to...help out? That, and I wanted to kill time.”

“You seem unsure of that though.”

“Well I don’t really know what to describe what I’m doing.” An amused smile is on (y/n)’s lips, Tsukishima was clearly trying to hold back from asking more questions. “You were very forward last time we spoke, what’s stopping you right now?” 

Here he was again, mentally debating whether to ask her or just lay off. He glances at her, who was waiting for him to say something. He didn’t have a choice but to sate his curiosity.

“What...do you mean that you’re not their manager?” Tsukishima asks. Silence overwhelms them for a few seconds, and he fears that he might have asked the wrong question. In any other case, he would’ve bit back an apology but (y/n) was still considered his senior. He doesn’t get the chance to speak as she answers his question.

“Well...” (y/n) starts off, biting her lip in thought as she tries to construct her next few words. “Their coach needed someone to assess the team, and that’s apparently what I’m good at.”

“Assessing?”

“Mmm...I guess you can call it intel gathering and strategising of the sort. The team hasn’t been balanced since the new recruits came in, so I have to observe how everyone plays to come up with a solution.”

“And it takes you two weeks?” Tsukishima questions. The last time they spoke was two weeks ago, it couldn’t have taken that long could it?

“Oh, not at all!” She smiles at him. “I’m part of the girl’s volleyball team. We’re busy with practise all the time, so I can’t watch them everyday.” Tsukishima stares at her, looking as if he had something to say. (y/n) picks up on this.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing...”

“No, really. Just tell me.”

“It’s just...you sound like someone who I shouldn’t mess with...”

“Huh?” A breathy chuckle escapes her at his honesty.

“I feel like you could dig up dirt on me if I ever cross you.”

“I can’t say that’s the first time I’ve heard that.” She says. Taking her phone out, she checks the time. There was still a few minutes before the next match. A gasp escapes (y/n) when something cold touches her cheek, she looks up at Tsukishima. His gaze was avoiding hers as he holds up the can of soda to her.

“I don’t like being indebted.” He says. A breathy laugh is heard from her as she takes the can from him.

“Can I call you by your first name...?”

“Do whatever you want...” 

“Thank you for the drink, Kei.”

The way his name rolled off her tongue felt...odd. Tsukishima could feel his face heat up and heart beat quicken. It’s a common occurrence that seems to happen whenever (y/n) was around. He brushes it off. It was probably nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos to show your support :)


	4. It’s alright to feel awful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place before Chapter 1, how (y/n) ended up with a sprained ankle.

“(y/n)! Are you alright?!” Tsukishima says, almost stumbling over his words. It was a rare moment to see him act so flustered, and if the situation weren’t that serious (y/n) would’ve laughed at his reaction. 

Unable to answer due to the amount of pain she was feeling, (y/n) shakes her head. Out of all the outcomes she suspected that may possibly happen during a match, spraining her ankle was definitely not one of them. Her eyes glance towards the opposite side of the court, scoffing when she sees the captain of the rival team they were playing against smirking at her.

“Tsukishima-san! The medic’s here!” One of (y/n)’s team mates call out, hurrying to where the two were. The medic was trailing behind her in a rush.

“Can you carry her over to the bench?”

Tsukishima moves to carry the girl in his arms, careful not to agitate her foot. (y/n) bites her lip in pain when her foot slightly makes contact with the floor.

“Sorry...” Tsukishima utters, eyes focused on her as the medic checks her injury. (y/n) could tell that it was going to be a very hectic day.

* * *

•••

“What the hell was that?!” 

(y/n) sighs, trying to tune out the voices around her. After having her ankle looked at, the medic advised her to still have it checked by a doctor. At the moment, they were settled at an area away from prying eyes. They were waiting for Tsukishima to come back as he had to get (y/n)’s belongings.

“This is that captain’s fault! She’s been targeting (y/n)-chan since the start of the match!” Oikawa grits his teeth in irritation.

“You don’t have anything to prove that.” Iwaizumi tries to intervene, noting the irked expression on (y/n)’s face.

“Iwa-chan! You noticed it too, this was clearly her intention!”

“Tooru, calm down.” (y/n) finally speaks up, still trying to avoid the other’s gazes.

“Calm down? Aren’t you mad?!”

“I’m mad...” She mutters. Oikawa’s persistence was just the tipping point for her bubbled up frustrations. Everything went tumbling down. “Of course I’m mad! I’m practically useless right now. But there’s nothing we can do, what’s done is done.” Silence fills the room after. (y/n)’s outburst made the other two shut their mouth.

“(y/n)-chan...”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to play for the next match...”

Whether the timing was convenient or not, Tsukishima arrives back with (y/n)’s bag in tow. He could already feel the intense air amongst the three. No one was uttering a word at all.

“We should go, the others are waiting for us.”

* * *

 •••

Tsukishima glares at the screen of his phone, the same thing that he’d been doing for the past few minutes. His call went straight to voicemail. Again. There were no text messages nor calls in his notifications and it was making him frustrated. A few days have passed since (y/n)’s previous match and the girl has yet to grace him with her presence. The last time he talked with her was when he went with her to have her ankle checked at the hospital. With a sigh he pockets his phone, oblivous to the look Yamaguchi was giving him.

“Tsukki? Is she still not picking up?”

“Hah?”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been trying to call her ever since you arrived.”

“It’s nothing...” Tsukishima tucks his phone in his pocket.

“Do you plan on visiting her later on?”

“I don’t think she’d appreciate that, not when she’s...”

“Tsukki, for someone who’s smart you sure are dumb when it comes to these things.” The scowl on his friend’s face made Yamaguchi immediately back away. “W-What I mean is, this is the one time that (y/n)-san might actually need you even if she doesn’t admit it. You should go see her.”

Tsukishima couldn’t help but agree with Yamaguchi. He might not be able to relate to what (y/n) was currently going through, but leaving her to fight for her own demons would only make the situation worse for her. But what could he do? He wasn’t exactly the type of person who knew how to cheer people up and encourage them with positivity. Rather, out of all the people who were close to (y/n), he speculated that Oikawa might be able to help her more than he could as the latter experienced the same situation before. He could ask for his help...

“As if...” Tsukishima scoffs, unaware that Yamaguchi was still observing him with a confused look on his face.

“Tsukki?”

* * *

 •••

When the school bell rings to indicate the end of classes, (y/n) jolts from the sound and is immediately pulled out from her thoughts. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Oikawa, who was seated behind her.

“(y/n)-chan? Are you gonna head home already?”

“I am...”

“Do you wanna eat somewhere first with Iwa-chan and I before practise? We can go to that cafe that I was talking about!”

“Hnn...I’d love to but I really want to get some rest today.”

“Then how about we-“

“Oikawa,”

A hand grasps the brunette’s shoulder, making him halt. It takes one look at Iwaizumi for him to understand that he should back off.

“(y/n), do you want us to walk you home?” Iwaizumi offers, although (y/n) was lucky enough to get a minor sprain that didn’t warrant the need for crutches, the limp in her step was present.

“It’s fine, I can’t ask you that when you still have practise later on.”

“Are you sure...?” Iwaizumi asks again. This time (y/n) doesn’t bother replying and opts to smile at him instead. It was obviously forced but neither him or Oikawa said anything about it. (y/n) takes this as a sign and heads out of the room with a quick goodbye.

“(y/n)-chan...”

“Give her some time, she’ll come around.” He sighs when Oikawa pouts. “Remember when the same thing happened to you? You were all mopey and you didn’t talk to anyone the first few days.”

“I wasn’t mopey!”

“Yeah, whatever.”

* * *

 •••

When (y/n) arrives by the school gate, a group of girls were flocking by the entrance. Whispers and giggles became more evident as (y/n) got nearer, and she realises that the cause of all this was a lone figure leaning on the brick wall outside. It was Tsukishima, who was still in his uniform, and it was apparent that he was unaware to what was happening around him with the headphones he had on.

“Kei...?” Ignoring the looks the other girls were giving her, (y/n) stops in front of Tsukishima to get his attention. His eyes widen for a fraction of a second, lowering his headphones around his neck.

“You look like shit.” He says. It was half a lie, although she looked haggard than usual she still looked pretty in his eyes.

“I know.” 

The fact that she didn’t deny it left a sour taste in Tsukishima’s mouth. (y/n) was clearly still not in a great mood.

“Where’s...”

“Practise. I’m about to go home.”

“I’m coming with you,” (y/n) raises a brow at him in question. “I...need help with an assignment.” They both stare at each other, and it feels like a decade had passed for Tsukishima. The look on her face made it seem like she wasn’t buying his excuse, but she doesn’t comment on it and instead walks pass him.

“Let’s go.”

The deafening silence betweenthem during the walk home was slightly uncomfortable, more so for Tsukishima. Luckily, the walk towards (y/n)’s apartment wasn’t that far. He waits for (y/n) to unlock the door before stepping inside. It wasn’t the first time that he’d been inside her apartment, but he couldn’t help but appreciate how clean and organised it was. He takes a seat on the couch and (y/n) does the same.

“What is it that you need to tell me?”

“I told you I need help-“

“I know you don’t need help with an assignment, come up with a better excuse next time.”

“Perceptive, as usual.”

“Kei...what is it? I’m not in the mood-“ Before she could finish what she was saying, (y/n) is pulled into Tsukishima’s chest. His arms squeezed around her waist with no intention of letting go. “Kei...?”

“It’s alright to feel awful.” Tsukishima starts, ignoring the way how his heart was suddenly beating so fast. He was sure that she could feel it as well. “Just feel awful until you start getting better, that’s what everyone else does. So, let it out.” As he says so, he could feel (y/n) tremble in his hold. A loud sob envelopes the room, and Tsukishima could feel a wet patch forming on his uniform but he couldn’t care less as he cards his fingers through her hair. He made a mental note to thank Yamaguchi later on.


	5. My door is always open for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tsukishima’s been craving for (y/n)’s attention but he’s too embarrassed to admit it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m finally updating after months of inactivity with a sorta short chapter (sorry). I have tons written out for this series, practically flooding my files, but I’m hesitant to post them since they’re too short. I’m still working on lengthening them out a bit more and hopefully it won’t take too long. Anyways, enjoy!

“I managed to get you out of your apartment to experience civilisation again but you’re just physically here, not mentally.” 

Tsukishima comments dryly, he spots the park in the neighborhood from a distance and continues to walk to its direction which proved to be slightly difficult. (y/n)’s hand was clutching the sleeve of his hoodie, being dragged along behind him as if she were an attached accessory. Everything about her posture screamed exhausted, but he knew that a change of scenery would benefit her after being holed up in her apartment with her face stuck to a textbook for so long. He was so ready for her exams to be over and finally, _finally_ be able to spend time with her, not that he’d admit that. But he wanted some reassurance that he actually had a girlfriend.

“Try cramming for four days straight and see how it feels like.”

“I can already feel it just by looking at you.”

“What are we even doing at the park?” (y/n) looks around, ignoring Tsukishima’s previous statement. There weren’t much people lurking around considering the sun was almost setting.

“You said you were desperate for fresh air.”

“I’m pretty sure I only asked you to open the window, the next thing I know you’re dragging me outside without any explanation.”

“Did you? Can’t seem to remember, I must’ve blacked out after you said fresh air.” Tsukishima couldn’t help but bite his tongue when his tone sounded a bit condescending. He looks over to (y/n), who was also looking back at him with a raised brow. It didn’t seem like she was angry for the most part but it still left a sour taste in his mouth. As if sensing the shift in his attitude, she stops walking (pulling him to a halt as well) to confront him. Even after months of dating, Tsukishima still couldn’t get used to how good the girl was at reading his moods.

“What’s wrong?” She asks, letting go of the sleeve of his hoodie.

“It’s-no, nothing.”

“You’ve been acting like a petulant child, I may be exhausted but I’m not an idiot.” (y/n) sighs when Tsukishima refuses to meet her eyes. No longer wanting to beat around the bush, she lifts a hand to his cheek to force him to face her. “What’s wrong, Kei?”

“...really stupid...” He mumbles, eyes darting everywhere but (y/n). His face starts to heat up in embarrassment, the tip of his ears reddened.

“I didn’t get that?”

“It’s just really stupid, you’re gonna laugh...”

It gets silent for a moment, the sound of crickets in the background becoming more prominent around them. (y/n) purses her lips in thought, trying to form a proper response. Turns out that she didn’t need to go through the effort as Tsukishima provides her with an answer.

“I haven’t seen you for four days, you don’t even reply to my texts, and calls are out of the question as well. I know that you’re busy studying for your exams...just...” He grumbles in frustration, running a hand through his hair. Talking about feelings, his feelings in particular, was a difficult task to do. “I hate that you haven’t been...paying attention to me lately and-god, this really is stupid. Ignore everything I said.”

“Kei, look at me.” The latter refuses to meet her gaze for the second time again, and (y/n) huffs. She looks around the park, making sure that there weren’t any prying eyes on them before placing her hands on the blonde’s shoulders. Without missing a beat she pushes herself up to press her lips against his, ignoring the noise of surprise. “Do I finally have your attention?”

Tsukishima nods, a hand coming up to cover the bottom half of his face. If he was already looking heated before, now it was tenfold. His cheeks were flushed a lovely shade of red, eyes widened and wavering but still on her. (y/n) couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s not stupid, it’s endearing.” She says. Tsukishima gives her a look as if asking her to elaborate more, and she does. “You rarely say things like that so it caught me off guard. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting attention.” 

“Hnn...” 

“You should’ve just told me you missed me,” A laugh escapes (y/n) when Tsukishima jabs her hip in retaliation. “I’ll try not to make you feel neglected when exams come around again.”

“Stop it.” 

“Fine. Let’s go back, it’s already getting dark out here.” (y/n) could’ve sworn that it was still a bit bright out when they arrived but then again, she didn’t know how long they’ve been standing in the same spot. 

“Had enough fresh air?” 

“Enough air supply to last a whole year. Carry me?”

“I already dragged you on the way here, now you want me to carry you? Do you know how much you weigh-ouch, fine! Get on before I change my mind.” 

As soon as Tsukishima bends his knees, (y/n) doesn’t wait for him to tell her again and practically flops her body on his back. It takes a second for him to adjust to the additional weight, making sure that she doesn’t fall off—or better yet, him accidentally dropping her on the ground, before walking back to the direction of (y/n)’s apartment.

“Kei...?”

“Hmm?” 

“If you’re ever feeling lonely...or you just need to get something off your chest, don’t be afraid to tell me. We’re dating for a reason.” 

“I know.”

“My door is always open for you.”

“I know...”

There isn’t much of a conversation going on after that but the silence wasn’t an uncomfortable one, the two of them opted to keep their lips sealed and bask in the sounds around them. Tsukishima then feels an odd sense of déjà vu wash over him when he feels the weight on his back go slack and (y/n)’s head gently dropping to his shoulder. He then feels soft puffs of air on his neck, and draws to the conclusion that she must’ve passed out. He tries not think about the fact how he starts to change his pace to a slower one and how he limits his movements to avoid jostling the girl awake.

There’s no deeper meaning behind it, he just didn’t want to face the wrath of a sleep-deprived (y/n). Nope, he _wasn’t_ trying to be considerate. Not at all...is what he’d like to believe in.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t forget to drop a kudos to show your support :)


	6. I’m not an ideal type

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima takes care of a sick (y/n) + a visit at a school festival.

It’s been a full on minute of Tsukishima knocking on a wooden door, his knuckles already red from the continuous action and there was still no sign of it being opened. As he reaches for his phone in his pocket, an unlocking sound is heard as the door opens halfway. The annoyed look on his face transitions into concern when he observes the girl in front of him. (y/n) was paler than usual, and exhaustion was clear as the day from her features. 

“You’re ten minutes early.”

“And _you_ need to go to the doctor.” He manages to utter without fail, stepping inside (y/n)’s apartment with a paper bag in hand. Once he changes into some indoor slippers, he follows (y/n) into the living room.

“I’m fine. It’s not serious enough to warrant a hospital visit.” With a hand on the arm of the sofa, (y/n) takes a seat. A sigh of relief escapes her as she cushions her body comfortably.

“You can’t even stand up straight. It’s been three days already.”

“Like I said, I’m fine. This isn’t the first time that I’ve gotten sick this long. I just need to rest.”

Placing the paper bag on a nearby table, Tsukishima surveys the small kitchen that was a few steps away from the living area. It was clean. Too clean for someone who was considered sick. He sighs in realisation as a thought comes to mind.

“When did you last eat?” At his inquiry, (y/n) averts the pointed look he was giving her. She instead opts to cross her arms and rest her head on the sofa. Tsukishima couldn’t help but sigh once more. “When?”

“Yesterday morning...” (y/n) is thankful when the blonde lets her off with just a sharp glare than a lecture about maintaining health and well-being. She wasn’t sure if the constant hammering in her head could’ve handled it. Curiosity eats at her when she spots the paper bag Tsukishima was bringing to the kitchen, and as if having read her mind, he provides her with an answer.

“My mom prepared food for you.”

“Tell her I said thanks,”

“If you want to be thankful then eat it. All of it.”

From the tone in his voice, (y/n) knew she didn’t have any room to argue with him. Standing up from the couch, she pads towards the kitchen, taking a seat. The food was already prepared on the table, and Tsukishima hands her a pair of chopsticks that came from the kitchen. He takes a seat opposite of her, making sure that she finished every dish. Silence slowly starts to build between the two of them, and (y/n) glances at him after eating a spoonful of rice.

“You’re just going to watch me eat?”

“Do you feel uncomfortable?”

“No...I feel less lonely now. I had to take care of myself last time I got sick. Tooru and Hajime were at a training camp, so they couldn’t look after me.”

“Well, you don’t need to rely on them anymore...” It was barely a whisper but (y/n) still heard him. The corners of her lips lift up into a smile.

A little of bit of difficulty occurs with (y/n) finishing up a full meal, only managing to get in a couple of bites. It was a challenge to keep food down when she didn’t have an appetite for it, more so when she wasn’t feeling her usual chipper self but she tries to make an effort to finish half of it when Tsukishima spurs her on. Once she deems she’s had enough, she gladly takes the pill handed to her and washes it down with a glass of water.

“I heard you guys are preparing for your school festival, what’s your class going to do?”

“Nothing.”

“Very convincing, is it embarrassing?”

“Why? Are you planning on making fun of me?” At the smirk stretching on the corner of her lip, Tsukishima scoffs. He gets up and starts to collect the empty dishes on the table, heading over to the sink.

“What do you take me for?” (y/n) tries to pull off an exaggerated act of innocence, then tiredly chuckles when a pair of scrutinising eyes land on her. “I might take a picture or two, nothing harmful.”

“If you weren’t someone who’s good at digging information, I would’ve believed you. But you’re not.” 

“Do you not want me to visit you?” (y/n)’s voice is softly gentle. She absentmindedly ponders, crossing her arms on the table to rest her head on top of them. Tsukishima pauses from doing the dishes, slowly facing her with a soapy sponge in his hand. An unreadable expression is masked on his face before he turns back to the sink.

“It’s just some dumb butler cafe, not that entertaining...”

“Oh I doubt it.”

* * *

•••

It was around two o’clock in the afternoon when the pounding in (y/n)’s head no longer persisted, now she was left in an exhausted state with the will to sleep. With a sigh, she burrows herself in the mattress, practically swaddled with blankets. Tsukishima stood by the door, a hand gripping the knob. He didn’t show any signs of moving, opting to watch the girl with a troubled look on his face. He had somewhere to be but he didn’t want to leave his sick girlfriend alone in her apartment.

“Stop hesitating, just go...”

“But-”

“Whatever it is you’re worrying about, stop it. I’ll be fine.” Tsukishima still doesn’t move. (y/n) couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. “If it makes you feel any better, Tooru’s coming over later on to check on me.”

“Just Oikawa-san...?”

“Hajime’s busy today so he can’t come.”

“That just makes me want to stay more.”

“Kei...” She holds the stare Tsukishima is directing at her and he relents with an annoyed sigh. He finally opens the bedroom door, one foot out.

“You better answer my call later.”

“Yes, yes, whatever makes you happy. Don’t forget to lock the door when you leave.”

* * *

•••

Thankfully, (y/n) does get better in the next few days. The process to recovery was no easy feat. It involved a lot of monitoring from not only Tsukishima, but Oikawa and Iwaizumi as well, making hourly visits to make sure that the girl actually ate something other than a protein bar and stocking up her fridge with cooked meals so she wouldn’t have to lift a finger in the kitchen and just use her energy to heat it up. Although they were sort of overbearing, (y/n) couldn’t have it any other way. It felt nice to be cared for.

And now it was the day of Tsukishima’s school festival. (y/n) stood in front of his classroom’s entrance, a large sign was displayed outside along with the cafe’s menu. Everything was pretty much decent-looking in her book, except for the overuse of pink everywhere.

“Oh my god,” A loud gasp followed by the combination of laughing and choking catches (y/n)’s attention. She turns to look at Oikawa in question.

“T-There’s a popularity poll!”

“Why are you that surprised?”

“Because Megane-kun is in the lead!”

“Huh...”

It takes a few minutes to get seated, seeing as the cafe was surprisingly popular. A girl in a frilly apron directs them to their table, handing them a couple of makeshift menus and lists down their orders as quickly as possible.

“Is there a particular person you want to serve you?”

(y/n) presses her lips in thought, mulling over what the girl just told her. The first year patiently waits for an answer, cutely smiling at the three of them. Tsukishima wasn’t present from what she could see, but knowing him—he was probably in hiding after finding out that she was here with her guardians. She turns to look at Hajime, who was busy inspecting the menu, then at Oikawa, who looked as if he found something interesting and (y/n) follows his gaze at the opposite side of the classroom. Behind the blinding white and pink curtains that hid what she presumed was the classrooms’ makeshift kitchen, was a head of blonde hair through the gap. A suspicious grin rises on Oikawa’s lips before he faces the first year.

“Someone with blonde hair.”

“Blonde hair...?” The girl tilts her head in confusion.

“Is there someone here with blonde hair that can serve us? Particularly someone tall, attractive...but less than me-ouch! Don’t be mean, (y/n)-chan!” Oikawa tries to bat away at (y/n)’s hand gripping his arm, her nails digging crescents into his skin. Iwaizumi finally looks away from the menu in his hand and sighs at the other two. He looks at the first year girl and with a tight smile on his face, he helps her out.

“Tsukishima Kei. We want him.”

“Oh! Tsukishima-kun!” The girl nods in realisation. “He’s on a break right now but we’ll have him serve you with your food!” She bows politely and walks towards the kitchen, going behind the curtains to have their orders prepared. (y/n) finally lets go of Oikawa’s arm.

“Tooru, I’m telling you this right now...” (y/n) looks at the brunette with piercing eyes. She sits back, acting as if nothing was amiss just a few moments ago. “Don’t make fun of Kei, he’s probably already mad that I let you two tag along-“

“When have we not tagged along? We’re practically your platonic soulmates, right Iwa-chan?”

“Oikawa, lower your tone. People are looking at us.”

“This is the con to being with you, Tooru. You attract too much attention,”

“I think they’re looking at you, (y/n)-chan. Not me.”

“Wrong. They’re looking at both of you, you idiots.”

“Hajime, how dare you put me in the same category as him!”

“Rude! What does that mean?!”

“Not to inflate your egos but think about it, two good-looking people of the opposite gender hanging out together. It’s equivalent to a huge neon sign at night.”

“You’re good-looking too though, Hajime. Don’t humble yourself.”

“I’m not-“

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you about the school festival...” 

A drawn out sigh cuts through the conversation. All three of them look up at the sudden appearance of a tall figure, immediately shutting up. It was Tsukishima, looking like he just finished walking a runway with a fancy butler outfit. He looked more handsome compared to his usual getup, and it wasn’t just because of his hair styled all nicely—it was the fact that he was wearing contacts instead of his black-framed glasses. The whole look was oddly refreshing, more odd on Oikawa’s part as he openly looks at the blonde.

“Who are you?”

“Hah?” Tsukishima raises a brow at him, not understanding what the other was implying. He places the tray of their orders on the table, trying not to feel uncomfortable under their stares.

“We said we wanted Megane-kun, you’re definitely not him.”

“Oikawa...you _are_ looking at Tsukishima.” Iwaizumi corrects him.

“This must be a nightmare,” Oikawa starts mumbling, eyes widening. “There’s no way Megane-kun can look this good...”

“How are you associating his looks with a nightmare?” With squinted eyes, Iwaizumi shakes his head at the brunette. He didn’t bother trying to understand what went on Oikawa’s mind at the moment.

“(y/n)-chan, can you believe this?!” Oikawa starts to shake the latter’s shoulder in a frenzy, still finding it difficult to accept the situation. No response is heard from the girl, promptly making him stop. “(y/n)-chan? Are you listening to me?”

As if snapped out of a trance, (y/n) avoids the questioning glance from Tsukishima. She ducks her head away from his view, covering her heated face with both of her hands. The tips of her ears were reddened.

“I think you broke your girlfriend, Tsukishima.” Iwaizumi calmly says, grabbing his utensils to dig into the platter of dessert in front of him. It takes a while for (y/n) to compose herself, taking a long sip from her glass of water without stopping to take a breath.

“I think I’m fine now.”

“You think?” Oikawa muses.

“Are you really alright?” Tsukishima wonders out loud. He observes the way (y/n)’s lips part and close, as if wanting to say something but unable to. She opts to nod at him instead.

“She’s fine, Megane-kun!” Oikawa waves him off with his hand. “You can go back to your butler duties.”

“I was already on a break, Oikawa-san. But they hauled me out of the kitchen because someone requested me...”

“That actually works out,” Iwaizumi passively turns to look at the blonde. “Oikawa and I plan on looking around the other booths, (y/n) could use your company.”

“You talk as if I’m not right here in front of you.” A sigh escapes (y/n), no longer feeling the after effects of being flustered. She glances at Tsukishima with a small smile gracing her lips. “Accompany me?”

“When have I not?” He answers back with another question, the corner of his lips lifting for a split second. (y/n) swore that if she had blinked, she would’ve missed it. Next to her, Oikawa is leaning his cheek on his hand, elbow propped up on the table. He was obviously having a fun time watching the two of them, like some source of entertainment.

“I’m so glad I’m here to witness this embarrassing moment.”

* * *

•••

“Is it that surprising? You’ve seen me without my glasses on before.” Tsukishima runs a hand through his styled hair, slightly messing it up. He ignores the noise of disapproval from the girl walking next to him.

“Yes, but not when you’re in that outfit...with that hair-”

(y/n) lets out a gasp when Tsukishima suddenly wraps a hand around her arm to pull her away from a couple of people rushing through the corridor. She mutters a quick thanks as they resume walking.

“As I was saying, you look like you came out of a shoujo manga.”

“So I should probably ditch the glasses for contacts on special occasions then...”

“As...as long as you tell me in advance so I can mentally prepare myself.” Tsukishima lets out a chuckle, not expecting her to be so straightforward. (y/n) huffs at his reaction, gluing her eyes on the pavement. “No wonder you were leading in the popularity poll...” 

“I didn’t catch that?”

“Don’t take your glasses off unless I’m with you. I won’t let anyone else fall for you.”

“I doubt that, you’re the only one who was brazen enough to try.”

“Give yourself some credit.”

“Yes, because I’m sure my bright personality and funny disposition has every girl in the vicinity swooning.” He sarcastically remarks, rolling his eyes. “I’m not an ideal type.”

“That only means one thing,” She trails off, fingers lifting to fix a stray strand from Tsukishima’s styled hair. “They don’t see what I can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a kudos to show your support!


	7. Just for precautionary measures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which sleepovers meant less sleep and more on staying awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima only appears halfway through the story. More centered on (y/n) + her platonic soulmates. 
> 
> Also, this scenario happens before Chapter 5.

 

The rain continued to softly pelt down onto the pavement in the dark of the night, almost acting as a soundtrack playing outside of the window. It was lulling Oikawa to unconsciousness, almost slipping into a dream when a sudden sharp movement jostles him for a moment. He ignores it, opting to fall back asleep. Jerky movements and soft snores came with the package of having sleepovers at a friend’s house, that friend being Iwaizumi, who was sleeping next to him on a futon laid on the floor of his bedroom. On any other day, he would’ve been fine sharing a bed with him but with (y/n) included in the group, giving up the bed to her was an obvious option. A few seconds pass in silence, which was quickly interrupted by a jab on his shoulder. So much for sleeping...

“Iwa-chan...?” He mumbles, eyes blearily making out the figure of the latter. He squints for a moment, watching Iwaizumi sit up at an impossibly slow pace before rising up on his feet without a word.

A yawn inevitably escapes him as he continues to watch his friend. It crosses his mind that Iwaizumi probably just woke up to take a quick trip to the bathroom, too fatigued to utter a single word to him. With that reassurance in mind, Oikawa closes his eyes once more only to have them shot wide open when a loud thudding resonates in the bedroom. He sits up, looking at the source of the ugly sound and furrows his brows at his discovery. A pile of textbooks had been knocked over a desk and onto the floor, the culprit being Iwaizumi, standing next to it.

“What are you two doing...?” A soft whine comes from the bed, and Oikawa catches himself from shouting in surprise when he remembers that (y/n) was also in the room. 

“Iwa-chan, you’re waking everyone up!” Oikawa chastises. Another warning is ready on his tongue but when Iwaizumi stops trudging and faces his closet in silence, worry starts to eat him up. “Iwa-chan?”

“What’s wrong?” At the tone of the his voice, (y/n) forces herself to get up as well. Her eyes scrutinise the figure standing up at the other end of the room. “Hajime? Is everything alright?”

When there isn’t any response, (y/n) gets up and walks over to his direction with her brows crinkling in confusion. Oikawa trails behind her with an equally concerned look on his face. Was he sick? Did he accidentally get injured when he bumped into his desk? Was he trying to hide something? The questions seemed endless, and there wasn’t a sure answer. But what they don’t expect to see is Iwaizumi just standing there with glazed eyes half-open, no trace of injury or harm.

“Is he...still asleep?” Oikawa wonders, his earlier concerns drained from him.

“I think so, otherwise he would’ve hit you by now.” (y/n) hums in curiosity, ignoring the comment Oikawa makes in retaliation to what she said. She snaps her fingers next to Iwaizumi’s ear, waiting for something to happen but he only mumbles for a bit, still unresponsive. “You’re the one who constantly spends nights here, shouldn’t you know if he sleepwalks?”

“He only ever wakes up to go to the bathroom, he’s never done this before.”

“Maybe it’s stress-induced, exam week is just around the corner. I’ve read that sleepwalking is often-“

“They’re...here...” The other two couldn’t help but jerk in surprise when Iwaizumi mutters all of a sudden, his eyes were still half-open. Oikawa comes closer, a slightly alarmed expression on his face.

“W-What?”

“Here...”

“Who’s here, Iwa-chan? You’re freaking me out!”

“In the closet...waiting...for us...”

“Oh shit! No, no, no! (y/n)-chan, we need to leave!” Oikawa starts to fidget, fingers clutching the girl’s arm. He has half the mind to run out of the room and sleep somewhere safe. Preferably somewhere without closets. “I swear I’ve seen something like this happen in a movie! The protagonist got abducted by-“

“Tooru stop it, he’s just sleep talking.” With a bit of force, (y/n) peels the brunette’s fingers around her arm. “Just lay him back on the futon,”

“(y/n)-chan! Don’t!”

“For the love of all that’s good, help me right now or I’ll lock you in that closet for the rest of the night.” She meant it as a joke, but the look on Oikawa’s face told her that he may have taken her seriously. He immediately grabs onto Iwaizumi and steers him in the direction of their futon.

A long sigh escapes (y/n), whatever drowsiness she was feeling minutes ago was no longer there. She watches Oikawa throttle Iwaizumi onto the futon, and expects him to lay down as well. Instead the brunette walks up to the desk and drags it in front of the closet, blocking it off.

“Are you being serious?”

“Just for precautionary measures.”

“Tooru-“

“(y/n)-chan!” He calls back with protest, as he pads back to the futon and pins Iwaizumi with the upper half of his body. He ignores the exasperated look on the girl’s face.

“Oh my god.”

“Just to make sure he doesn’t get up again. Iwa-chan will thank me later when he finds out that he wasn’t abducted by some supernatural being living in his closet.”

“That is, if he’s even capable of thanking you in the morning. You’re practically suffocating him in his sleep.”

“Goodnight, (y/n)-chan!”

* * *

•••

There’s a weird heavy weight draped across Iwaizumi’s torso when he wakes up, and he’s left to sleepily ponder over what it is with the limited active brain cells he has going on in the morning. Then he feels it, the slow rise and fall from the same weight on top of him which prompts him to fully open his eyes. It was a person on top him. More specifically, it was Oikawa who was practically laying across him for whatever reason. Questions begin to fill his head over how and why he’s in the situation that he is.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Rustling sounds are heard nearby. Iwaizumi is forced to crane his neck to the direction of his bed where (y/n) was sitting on. She had a look on her face that tells him that she didn’t get enough sleep, which was odd considering she was the first one to pass out last night.

“Uh...”

“You’re probably wondering why he’s on top of you, right?” (y/n) sighs, watching the other nod his head in confusion. Then another question pops up.

“Why is my desk blocking the closet...?”

Another sigh is heard from (y/n).

* * *

•••

“Should I ask why?” With an amused expression on his face, Tsukishima takes a seat next to (y/n) in the booth. He places a tray of beverages on the table, which was immediately swiped by its specific owners before he could blink.

Both Oikawa and Noir looked exhausted to the bone while Iwaizumi calmly sipped his coffee. It was too early in the morning to be hanging out at a cafe, but with Oikawa persisting nonstop for a buzz of caffeine, they didn’t have a choice. Tsukishima tagged along after finding out from (y/n). Her ‘guardians’ didn’t even bother to question his appearance when he arrived. They’ve long accepted that he was now involved in (y/n)’s life as much as they were. Normally, he wouldn’t be up at a godforsaken hour. But if he were to weigh the pros from the cons, spending time with his girlfriend before she locked herself in her room to study the days away for their upcoming exams was one of it.

“Some paranoid idiot kept waking up every hour of the night to check for signs of a paranormal invasion.” (y/n) mutters, irritation dripping heavy in her tone. She takes a long sip of her iced coffee in hand, releasing a sigh of content. 

“If it weren’t for me checking, we wouldn’t be alive right-“ The words are caught on Oikawa’s tongue when a pair of scrutinising eyes came upon him. He immediately bows his head in apology, almost bumping his forehead on the table in his haste. “Sorry, shutting up.”

“They caught me sleepwalking, and this idiot got scared of what I said about someone hiding in the closet.” Iwaizumi explains, ever the mediator between his two friends. He snorts at Tsukishima’s confused look, still trying to digest what he just said.

“That’s the second time I’ve been called an idiot today, wow.”

“And it won’t be the last if you keep acting like one.” Iwaizumi nonchalantly says, eyes glued outside the glass pane of the cafe with little interest. He yelps when Oikawa suddenly smacks his hand against his shoulder. As the other two start their daily bickering, (y/n) takes the chance to lay her head on Tsukishima’s shoulder. He doesn’t make a move to shrug her off, opting to take a bite of a sandwich that he bought from the counter.

“Was it really that horrible?”

“Honestly? I can see why Tooru’s pretty freaked out.”

“What about you?”

“I just want my sleep back. I don’t exactly have experience with people sleepwalking in the middle of the night saying that there’s someone in the closet on a daily basis, you know...” (y/n) lifts her head from his shoulder, leaning her cheek on her left hand with her elbow propped up on the table while the other kept stirring the straw in her cup. “I won’t be able to hang out with you in the next few days.”

“I’m aware.”

“Will you be alright?”

“We’re busy with practise anyway, I won’t even realise that you’re gone.”

“At least make it seem like you’ll miss me...” And Tsukishima does, in the most fakest way possible. (y/n) couldn’t help but want to smack the expression off his face. She lets him off with a pinch on his cheek instead.

“Stop flirting in front of me!” Oikawa cuts in with a childish look of disapproval on his face. Him and Iwaizumi were no longer exchanging playful banter with each other and instead just watching the two in front of them.

“We aren’t even doing anything remotely close to flirting.” (y/n) offhandedly mutters, taking another sip of her iced coffee.

“She’s right about that. The friskiest thing they’ve done in front of us is share a drink, and that’s not even that alarming.“ Iwaizumi lets out a chortle, slightly muffled when he drinks the rest of what’s in his mug.

“And you’re one to talk, Tooru. We’ve seen you flirt with girls in front of us for more than I could count on my fingers, I’m practically desensitised to it by now.” (y/n) chastises.

“Wish I could say the same.” Iwaizumi hums in thought, placing his now empty coffee mug onto the tray. Oikawa follows suit. “We’re heading to the gym right now. What about you, (y/n)?”

“I just want to go back to bed.”

“You just drank coffee.”

“As if that’ll stop me.” She mutters under her breath. Iwaizumi chuckles at her, sliding out of the booth to pat her on the head.

“See you later then. You too, Tsukishima.”

“Bye bye (y/n)-chan! Megane-kun!”

The bells hanging from the entrance jingles when the two leave, the atmosphere around them quietens. The soft music playing from the cafe’s speakers sounding more prominent in the background. Tsukishima crumples the sandwich wrapper in his hand and chucks it onto the tray, he watches (y/n) continuously sip from her straw. Her drink was still halfway finished.

“You don’t have volleyball practise?”

“We take a break when it’s exam week, so everyone can prioritise their studies first.” (y/n) hums, eyes chancing a glance outside the cafe’s window pane. “It sounds great but we make up for it with a week’s worth of nonstop training. It’s hellish.” As a yawn escapes her, she lifts a hand to cover her mouth as her eyes start to glisten.

“Are you really planning on sleeping again?”

“Why? Unless you make a tempting offer to do something else then I’ll think about it.”

“My mom’s been asking about you lately. She says you haven’t been visiting in a while...”

“It has...” (y/n) places her plastic cup on the tray next to the two mugs. She looks up at Tsukishima. “I miss your mother’s cooking, but I don’t want to be a bother and show up unannounced.”

“You’ve never been a bother,”

“Fine, you win. You tempted me enough, but I want to go home first and change. Are you coming with?”

“It sounds like you’re offering to let me see you change.”

“Maybe another time.”

She lets out a satisfied laugh when Tsukishima sputters, red in the face.

**Author's Note:**

> If you’re looking for more reader inserts, come and swing by my tumblr. It’s where I’ll mostly be active. 
> 
> Thanks for reading this stranger, and have a nice day!


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